The workout that burns fat 36 hours after you finish the class

It’s not often that you’ll find video game and fitness in the same sentence but for me this is the only way I can describe what it’s like to do an Orangetheory workout.

When you enter the slick studios it’s like another universe. High-tech treadmills line one side, water rowers the other and orange-hued screens, charting numbers and percentages, are prominently positioned all over the walls.

In this universe, however, the harder you work, the more points you win.

The new buzzy workout is popping up all over Australia (I went to the newly-minted Balmain studio in Sydney) and if you’re looking for extra motivation to work harder during your sweat session this is it.

Need a new workout plan? Look no further. These animals are here to help you spice up your routine. Credit: Various via Storyful

Before each class you are fitted with a heart rate monitor which tracks your work effort on said screens. The aim of the game? To get as many splat points as possible, as the more splat points you get, the longer your body with burn fat once you leave the studio. (Good motivation, hey?)

Dan Conn, wellness director for Collective Wellness Group and Orangetheory coach, explains that Orangetheory is backed by the science of Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (or EPOC) and the training is designed to maintain a target zone that stimulates metabolism and increases energy. The longer you work in this targeted zone the more splat points you get.

“We call it the afterburn,” he says. “Our members burn an estimated 400 to 1000 calories in 60 minutes. And keep burning calories for up to 36 hours.”

Impressive, hey? But don’t for a second think getting that fat burn is easy. The interval-style workout involves running, weights and rowing and is one of the most intense trainings I’ve done. In fact, when I spoke to Conn about he’s first class he said he nearly vomited and look at him:

Every class is based on endurance, strength, power, or a combination of these different training styles. The result is a full-body workout that challenges every single part of the body and prevents plateau. I went on a strength day so the class involved 30 minutes on the treadmill – where you do different speeds and inclines – and 30 minutes of circuit training between weights and rowing.

It was tough but extremely addictive. As you can see how hard you’re working, it encourages you and pushes you to go on. No cheaters here.

“It’s important that you’re smart with how you exhaust your energy throughout the session,” says Conn.

“The trick isn’t to go full throttle the entire workout – you need to pull it back and bring your heart rate down during the ‘active recovery’ intervals. This will help prep your body for the ‘all out’ intervals where you can push yourself to your absolute limits and get to those fat burning zones.”

I ended the class with 14 splat points (Conn recommends aiming for at least 12 each class) and burning 483 calories.

This information is then emailed to you and you receive monthly and weekly totals so you can track your progress.

Due to the fact you keep burning after the class, Conn says you don’t need to come everyday. He recommends three times a week. It’s about working smarter – not longer.

Orangetheory prices start from $55 a week for unlimited sessions. For more information head here.